1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coil inserter used for preparing a stator of electric rotary machines. More particularly, it relates to a coil inserter for allowing easy replacement of the tooling devices when the inner diameter of the iron core of a stator, the shape of a slot and the number of slots of the stator are changed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional coil inserter, it is necessary to replace a tooling device for inserting a coil and wedges and a wedge-cutting and shaping member when the inner diameter of the stator iron core, the shape of the slot and the number of slots are changed. There is a die set system in which the wedge-cutting and shaping member, that is, a wedge maker, is fitted to the tooling device. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a coil inserter having an improved tooling device for insertion.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the conventional coil inserter. The structure of the coil inserter will be described as follows: a tooling device 1 is mounted on a main body 3 so as to be turnable by a turning actuator 8. Tooling device 1, which holds an iron core 10 of a stator at the top thereof so as to insert a coil and insulating wedges in each slot of the iron core, includes an upper tool 9 for guiding the coil and the wedges, a magazine 70 for holding the wedges cut and shaped by a wedge maker 4, a pusher 16 for inserting the wedges held by magazine 70 into the slot, an inserting block 5 which holds pusher 16 and has a pushing rod 17 for inserting the coil at the central part thereof, and further a lower tool 18 including a guide bar 12 for guiding inserting block 5.
Tooling device 1 has an upper portion thereof covered by a front plate 2 using bolts, and a lower portion connected to a fitting plate 14 which is secured with bolts at the extreme end of the coil and a wedge-inserting actuator 7 from which guide bars 12 extend. Guide bars 12 are set by screws 19 on fitting plate 14 and are connected to inserting block 5 by a coupling 6 spaced from rod 7a of inserting actuator 7.
In the conventional apparatus, replacement of the tooling device 1 for inserting is carried out as follows: upper bolts (not shown) for fastening front plate 2 and a tool-fitting (not shown) for preventing dislodging of tooling device 1 are respectively removed and tooling device turning actuator 8 is actuated to lower the tooling device through the openings of the front plate 2 and main body 3 so as to bring it to the position shown by the dotted chain line (the position shown by reference number 1a in FIG. 1). The coupling is turned to remove the inserting block 5 under tooling device 1 from rod 7a of inserting actuator 7 and screw 19 is turned to disengage the connection between fitting plate 14 and guide bars 12. During removal of tooling device 1a, the operator has to be in a half-crouching posture. Because the tool of tooling device 1a weighs in the range of 80 and 120 kg., such removal is dangerous unless removal is carried out with the cooperation of two or three operators or with the use of a crane. Thus, tool 1a is removed to replace it with another tool which is used to insert the coil and wedges into the iron core of a separate stator. In order to perform the replacement operation, such is carried out in reverse order to the removal operation.
When the tools required to cut and shape the wedges are mounted on wedge maker 4, all the tools are replaced in this replacement operation, whereas when the tools are assembled in the upper part of magazine 70 of the tooling device in the die set system, such are replaced during the replacement of the tooling device for insertion.
After replacement of the tooling device and the associated tools for cutting and shaping the wedges have been completed, the fine adjustments of the sliding length of the tool, the condition of the shaped wedges and the feeding length of the wedges have to be carried out before coil-inserting operation starts. In the conventional coil inserter having the structure described above, a great deal of labor and operating time (planning and replacing time) are required for replacing the tooling device, more specifically, such takes about two hours for two operators. Greater technique is also required for the fine adjustments in that the tooling device has to be slidable by a suitable length after the front plate is fitted, such requirements almost always resulting in delay of mechanization of the wiring operation for particular electric rotary machines which include many variations in construction and are produced in small lots.